London Knights nab opener, North Bay, Oshawa & Owen Sound romp: OHL post-game questions

London and Kitchener is as abrasive as advertised, Erie evens it up and every other game was one-sided. On with the post-game questions:

Western Conference

London 3 Kitchener 1 (Knights lead 1-0, host Game 2 on Sunday) — Why should the Rangers feel buoyed for Game 2? The sixth-seeded Rangers shruggled off "a very slow start to outplay" London across the final 40 minutes, as Jake Paterson didn't allow a goal after OHL scoring runner-up Mitch Marner sniped twice in the first period.

The simile for starting a new series is that it is often like adjusting to a slightly chilly lake during the first outdoor swim off the late spring or summer (hey, got to think of something during this endless Canadian winter). London, which also had a three-point night from overage wing Matt Rupert, had a physical edge in the first 20 minutes, but Kitchener cut that down to size over the duration. It also faced just two penalty kills.

What was the rationale for London starting the series with its younger goalie, Tyler Parsons (36 saves)? Oh, you're not finding logic in Dale Hunter goaltending moves, but a series opener is as good a time as any to test a 17-year-old, even if it seems to goes against the grain. Parsons was up to the task, holding Kitchener without an even-strength goal and also catching a break when a second-period Rangers goal was disallowed due to goalie interference.

Owen Sound 6 Guelph 1 (Attack lead 1-0, Storm host Game 2 on Sunday) — How capable is Guelph of recovering in the next game? The Storm came away, in coach Bill Stewart's parsing, "disappointed but optimistic" after spotting the Attack two in the first period and going by rote in the final 40 minutes. It was the kind of desultory effort that probably does a team no good to dwell on.

Guelph goalie Justin Nichols was hooked after three goals on 11 shots in little more than a period-plus. In a long run, if the No. 1 goalie was scuffling, it was better to switch early than leave him in what turned into a very long night.

How much does offence from the defence make a difference in the playoffs? The Attack's back end chipped in seven points, including three from Damir Sharipzyanov.

Sault Ste. Marie 5 Saginaw 1 (Greyhounds lead 1-0, host Game 2 on Saturday) — Is it too glib by half to say Soo in four was a chalk pick, and this was a chalk result? No, since the closest the 'Hounds had to gut-check time was the two-minute span in the second between Connor Brown getting the only Spirit goal and Jared McCann restoring a three-goal spread with a short-hander after turning defenceman Marcus Crawford inside-out on a short-handed rush.

The 'Hounds, however, did face six penalty kills (weathering five). They can get away with that against the Saginaws of the world, but not against anyone who advances to Round 2.

"We haven't played a game that fast in three or four months," 'Hounds coach Sheldon Keefe told The Sault Star. "We had some really good stretches, but there are a lot of things we can do better."

The Soo had a 25-save night from first-time playoff starter Brandon Halverson and had five scorers.Nick Ritchie earned two assists.

Erie 3 Sarnia 1 (tied 1-1, Sting host Game 3 on Sunday) — Did the Otters lose another able-bodied regular? Well, everyone has some ache or pain at this point, but Erie defenceman Darren Raddysh came out after being slashed by Sarnia's Pavel Zacha near the midpoint of the third period. The Otters are already down another elder, with big-bodied wing Nick Betz (brain injury protocol) being out for at least two more games.

Sarnia is playing with house money as it returns home for Game 3 on Sunday night. Coach Trevor Letowski's team, in getting the split, kept Erie from scoring in three of six periods and limited it to one power-play goal in each contest. Keeping Connor McDavid (1G--1A, +1) to three points in two games practically counts as containing him, too.

Eastern Conference

North Bay 8 Kingston 0 (Battalion lead 1-0, host Game 2 on Sunday) — How much of a problem did North Bay's size pose for the Frontenacs? Short answer: a lot. From the looks of it, Sam Bennett and Co. had little luck carving out time and space, mustering just 11 shots in the first two periods. At 2-0 in the second, Kingston had a power play and an opportunity to draw nearer, but Nick Paul and mates easily killed it off. Ex-Frontenac Ryan Kujawinski (2G, +1) scored minutes later, then Paul  (2G-1A, +4) chipped in his second of the stanza to make it a rout.

All four of North Bay's drafted forwards, including Mike Amadio and Nick Moutrey had multi-point nights. Jake Smith only saw 18 shots, so it wasn't hard for him to look comfortable, but the 19-year-old had a nice pad save on Bennett on a short-handed break in the second.

What is the good news for Kingston? Well, North Bay's CKAT 600 reported post-game that due to heavy demand for hotel space in North Bay this weekend, the Frontenacs have been lodging 120 km away in Huntsville. That can't be great for getting settled in. Kingston will apparently bed down in the city before Sunday's 2 p.m. start. Plus they are a much different team on home ice, where the series shifts for games 3 and 4.

Oshawa 7 Peterborough 2 (Generals lead 1-0, host Game 2 on Sunday) — Any nits to pick with the Generals? Goalie Ken Appleby (18 saves on 20 shots) might have wanted to have at least one of the Petes goals back. Each came early in a period. It's hard to find much else at fault with a team that rolled easily, with Ottawa Senators prospect Tobias Lindberg scoring a first-period natural hat trick.

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.